Device for Removing Excess Fluid from a Sponge

ABSTRACT

A device for removing excess fluid from a sponge board comprising a substantially planar surface with a layer of absorbent material applied to one side, the device including an elongate roller having a first substantially horizontal rotational axis; a pair of guide rollers arranged along a second rotational axis which is substantially parallel to the first rotational axis and spaced apart from the elongate roller; and a pair of brackets arranged in opposed relation to support the elongate roller and guide rollers there between; wherein the device is configured to be mounted on the rim of a bucket.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to devices for removing excess liquid from cleaning apparatus and more particularly to a device for cleaning and wringing a sponge board for use in grouting tiles.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Laying tiles involves firstly laying the tiles onto a layer of adhesive. Once the adhesive has set, a grouting compound is applied to the tiles to fill the spaces formed between adjacent tiles to provide the tiles with an unbroken surface and to strengthen the bond between the tiles. Excess grout must be removed from the upper surface of the tiles before the grout hardens. In order to remove such excess grout, a dampened sponge board or tiler's sponge is wiped across the surface of the tiles to remove excess grout there from.

Typically, a first wipe of the surface of the tiles with the sponge will remove a considerable amount of grout. This grout must be substantially removed from the sponge board by immersing the sponge in clean water to wash away the excess grout from the sponge. Once the sponge has been immersed in water the sponge must be squeezed or wrung to remove excess water from the sponge before the removal of excess grout can be resumed.

The constant need to wash the sponge to enable removal of excess grout significantly adds to the time taken to complete a tiling project. It would therefore be desirable to provide a device which simplifies the process of cleaning the sponge board used for removing excess grout and thereby reduces the time required to complete a tiling project.

Moreover existing devices to assist in the sponge cleaning process such as wash boy buckets require the operator to push down vertically on the sponge board whilst moving the sponge board horizontally across a series of rollers spaced horizontally across a low profile bucket. This requires the operator to bend over and push against the rollers whilst at the same time moving the sponge horizontally in a stretching action. It would therefore be desirable to provide a device which simplifies the process of cleaning the sponge board used for removing excess grout and requires less physical effort on the part of the operator.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for removing excess fluid from a sponge board comprising a substantially planar surface with a layer of absorbent material applied to one side, the device including:

an elongate roller having a first substantially horizontal rotational axis;

a pair of guide rollers arranged along a second rotational axis which is substantially parallel to the first rotational axis and spaced apart from the elongate roller;

a pair of brackets arranged in opposed relation to support the elongate roller and guide rollers there between;

wherein the device is configured to be mounted on the rim of a bucket.

The sponge board preferably has a handle attached to the side of the substantially planar surface which opposes the side with the layer of absorbent material applied thereto. The absorbent material is most preferably sponge-like in nature. In one particular form of the invention, the sponge board is of the variety used by a tiler to clean grout from tiles and the device of the present invention is particularly suited to cleaning a sponge board for use in grouting tiles and more particularly for wringing excess fluid or water from the absorbent material provided on the sponge board.

Whilst the elongate roller and the guide rollers may be arranged in any suitable configuration provided that the rotational axes of the rollers are substantially parallel, in a preferred embodiment, the elongate roller and guide rollers are positioned on the same substantially horizontal plane.

Moreover the guide rollers are preferably arranged such that a handle provided on the sponge board and a human hand grasping the same can readily pass between the guide rollers in operating the device.

In one particular form of the invention, in use the sponge board is urged against the elongate horizontal roller by placing the sponge board in a space formed between the elongate roller and the pair of guide rollers such that the sponge board pivots about the guide rollers to compress the layer of absorbent material against the elongate roller thereby removing excess fluid there from.

This action is particularly effective at removing excess fluid from the sponge board without requiring the person holding the sponge board to exert any particular pressure upon the absorbent material to wring excess fluid there from.

In yet another embodiment, each guide roller is horizontally spaced from the elongate roller by a distance that is less than the total thickness of the sponge board. This allows the optimal amount of pressure to be applied to the absorbent material as the sponge board pivots about the guide rollers to compress the layer of absorbent material against the elongate roller.

In still another embodiment, each bracket includes a channel configured to receive the rim of a bucket. In a particular embodiment a width of the channel is adjustable to fit the rim of the bucket to which the device is to be mounted. In one particular form, the width of the channel is adjustable by means of a threaded member inserted through a side of the channel such that the threaded member can be screwed into the channel to adjust width thereof.

In a particularly preferred form of the invention, the brackets are configured to be mounted on the rim of a circular bucket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in further detail by reference to the attached drawings illustrating example forms of the invention. It is to be understood that the particularity of the drawings does not supersede the generality of the preceding description of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device for removing excess fluid from a sponge board according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the device of FIG. 1 mounted on the rim of a bucket.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the device of FIG. 2 in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring firstly to FIG. 1, there is shown a device for removing excess fluid from a sponge board comprising a substantially planar surface with a layer of absorbent material applied to one side. An example of such a sponge board which does not form part of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 3. The device of the present invention is particularly adapted for cleaning grout from tiles and in particular for cleaning a sponge board for use in grouting tiles and wringing excess fluid or water from the absorbent material provided on the sponge broad, also referred to as a “tiler's sponge”. It is to be understood however, that whilst the device has been described herein in this particular context, that it's suitability need not be limited to this particular use.

The device 100 of the present invention includes an elongate roller 105 which rotates about an axis 110 which runs substantially through the centre of the elongate roller. The roller 105 is in the form of an elongate cylinder. The device further includes a pair of guide rollers 115A and 115B which rotate about an axis 120 which runs substantially through the centre of the guide rollers. That is, the guide rollers 115A, 115B are arranged along the same rotational axis 120 which is substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the axis 110 about which the elongate roller 105 rotates.

The elongate roller 105 and the guide rollers 115A and 115B may be arranged in any spaced apart configuration provided that the rotational axes 110, 120 are substantially parallel; however, optimally the elongate roller and guide rollers are positioned on the same substantially horizontal plane as shown in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3.

The spacing 130 between the elongate roller 105 and the guide rollers 115A and 115B is preferably a distance that is a little less than the total thickness of the sponge board.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the device further includes a pair of brackets 125A, 125B which are arranged in spaced apart relation to support the elongate roller 105 and the guide rollers 115A, 115B there between. The brackets 125A, 125B are configured to support the device 100 on the rim 201 of a bucket 200.

It is to be understood that the device could also be provided permanently fixed to a bucket, although in this form many of the advantages of the removable form such as easy to clean and transport etc, may be lost.

Now referring back to FIG. 1, each bracket 125A and 125B includes a web portion 135A, 135B each between two perpendicular flanges 140A, 140B and 140C, 140D respectively, a first flange 140B and 140C for supporting one end of the elongate roller 105 and one guide roller 115A and a second flange 140A and 140D to hook over the rim of a bucket 200 (as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3). The second flange 140A, 140D may form part of a channel configured to receive the rim of a bucket. The width of the channel may be adjustable by means of a threaded member 150A, 150B inserted through a side of the second flange 140A, 140D such that the threaded member can be screwed into the channel to adjust its width. This secures the device 100 to the rim of a bucket during use.

For ease of manufacture, each bracket 125A, 125B may have a substantially “U” shaped cross section, although for a device 100 configured to fit a circular bucket, the flanges 140A, 140B and 140C, 140D will not be parallel as can be seen in FIG. 1. It will be understood that the device 100 could also be adapted to fit a non-circular bucket such as square or rectangular shaped bucket and that in such cases the particular configuration of the brackets may differ to suit.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the sponge board or tiler's sponge 300 preferably has a handle 310 attached to one side of the substantially planar surface 320. The handle 310 is attached to the side of the planar surface 320 which does not have the layer of absorbent material 330 applied thereto to for ease of use. For ease of use, the guide rollers 115A and 115B should be arranged such that the handle 310 can readily pass between the guide rollers whilst grasped by a human hand 340 operating the device as shown.

In use, the sponge board 300 is positioned in the space between the elongate roller 105 and the guide rollers 115A and 115B and pivoted about the guide rollers by the action of the human hand 340 to urge the layer of absorbent material 330 on the sponge board 300 against the elongate roller thereby compressing the layer of absorbent material against the elongate roller to remove excess fluid or water from the material. This simple action allows excess fluid to be removed from the sponge board without requiring the person holding the sponge board to exert any substantial pressure thereon.

It is an advantage of the present invention that the device is easily removed from the rim of the bucket to enable thorough cleaning of both the bucket and the device after use. Moreover the brackets are largely adjustable so that a single device can be adapted to fit different size buckets. In one particular embodiment the device is intended to fit a typical adhesive bucket, i.e. in which tiling adhesive is supplied to avoid the need to purchase a specialised bucket and to make use of a bucket that the tiler or handyman will have at his disposal in any case. It is another advantage of the present invention that the device is small, compact and relatively light weight and can simply be placed inside the bucket when not in used and/or in transit.

It is a particular advantage of the device of the present invention, the use of the device enables excess fluid to be removed from a sponge board in a single upward stroke. The rollers are arrange to provide optimal compression to the layer of absorbent material on the sponge board, thereby avoiding the need to the operator to generate a compressing force on the sponge by applying significant pressure to achieve the desired result. Accordingly, use of the device of the present invention avoids operator fatigue and speeds up the tiling process.

It is to be understood that various additions, alterations and/or modifications may be made to the parts previously described without departing from the ambit of the invention. 

1. A device for removing excess fluid from a sponge board comprising a substantially planar surface with a layer of absorbent material applied to one side, the device including: an elongate roller having a first substantially horizontal rotational axis; a pair of guide rollers arranged along a second rotational axis which is substantially parallel to the first rotational axis and spaced apart from the elongate roller; a pair of brackets arranged in opposed relation to support the elongate roller and guide rollers there between; wherein the device is configured to be mounted on the rim of a bucket.
 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the elongate roller and guide rollers are positioned on the same substantially horizontal plane.
 3. A device according to claim 1, wherein in use the sponge board is urged against the elongate roller by placing the sponge board in a space formed between the elongate roller and the pair of guide rollers such that the sponge board pivots about the guide rollers to compress the layer of absorbent material against the elongate roller thereby removing excess fluid there from.
 4. A device according to claim 1, wherein each guide roller is horizontally spaced from the elongate roller by a distance that is less than the total thickness of the sponge board.
 5. A device according to claim 1, wherein each bracket includes a channel configured to receive the rim of a bucket.
 6. A device according to claim 5, wherein a width of the channel is adjustable to fit the rim of the bucket to which the device is to be mounted.
 7. A device according to claim 6, wherein the width of the channel is adjustable by means of a threaded member inserted through a side of the channel such that the threaded member can be screwed into the channel to adjust width thereof.
 8. A device according to claim 1, wherein the brackets are configured to be mounted on the rim of a circular bucket.
 9. A device according to claim 1, wherein the guide rollers are arranged to accommodate a handle provided on the sponge board and a human hand grasping the handle passing between the guide rollers in operating the device.
 10. (canceled)
 11. (canceled) 